This invention relates to semiconductor devices and to the package thereof, and particularly to the assembly of the devices.
Although not limited thereto, this invention has particular utility with semiconductor devices of the type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,028,987, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference. This patent discloses a package comprising a cup-like base including a side wall having a flat upper surface. On the inside bottom of the base is soldered a semiconductor chip having terminal leads attached to and extending upwardly from an upper surface of the chip. The package includes a flat lid which is soldered to the upper surface of the side wall of the base. The chip terminal leads extend through and beyond apertures through the lid and are soldered to the side walls of the apertures. The package hermetically encloses the chip.
One disadvantage of the foregoing described package is that, in the process of soldering the lid to the base, unwanted impurities released during the soldering process can become trapped within the package and damage the device.